Transcript of the video:
BEVERLEY
This is a remembrance altar by Joanne Taylor and Beverley Green.
We assembled objects that reminded us of the times we spent with Mary. And in just assembling the objects, all the memories of who Mary was to us seemed to shine through.
Fabric & Needlework
When I think of Mary, I’m reminded of her passion for fabric and needlework of all kinds. She gave me these cloth coasters years ago, which demonstrated her love of fabric, even in something as ordinary as a coaster. Alan and I use them every day.
New Orleans
Also I brought this needlepoint piece of the Chestnut Street house in New Orleans that Mary and Tom owned. I lived on one side and on the other side, over the years, Becky and Frank and Sue and Steve. I learned needlepoint from Mary and she designed this piece from a book, Your House in Needlepoint, and I stitched it. It hangs on my kitchen wall.
I bought some doubloons, Mardi Gras throws, to symbolize all the wonderful Mardi Gras we spent together in New Orleans.
Books
Another passion of Mary’s was books. And when I moved to New Orleans, Mary was manager of Logos Bookstore in the French Quarter, and she introduced me to books I never would have read. I brought Womenfolks: Growing Up Down South, because we did, and Mary loved this book and gave it to me. I’ve read it twice.
During COVID, the girl cousins—Mary, Betty, Joanne, Mary Kay and I—decided to meet on Zoom. Of course Mary was willing to host it. We started meeting every two weeks and have a book discussion once a month. A Single Thread by Tracy Chevalier was the last book we read and how appropriate—it was about needlepoint.
JOANNE
Trips
We were fortunate to take some trips together. The girl cousins went to Monterey, California; Marfa, Texas; and Sonoma, California. We loved Marfa so much that we included our husbands and Angela and Josh on another trip back to Marfa. Last year, the girl cousins and husbands all went to Bentonville, Arkansas, mainly to see Crystal Bridges in Eureka Springs.
In recent years, we celebrated the Christmas holidays in Houston and made some lasting memories. The cousin trips always involved eating at some wonderful restaurants, shopping, visiting museums, and taking tours of the area. Back at the hotel, there was always a jigsaw puzzle set up as well as cards and dominoes. Mary and Tom always brought the alcohol to make the evening just a little bit more interesting.
Angels
Mary made these angels for me when I had surgery this year. They’re made from my mother’s and Aunt Ruth’s handkerchiefs. There are two angels, one for me to take to the hospital and one for me to recover at home. The angels are really special because I felt my mother, my Aunt Ruth, and of course Mary were watching over me.
Cooking
Mary was an excellent cook and she fostered my love for good food. Early on, she introduced me to Helen Corbitt, a registered dietician, and she also told me about the wonderful restaurant at Neiman Marcus. Mary and I would always discuss favorite recipes, restaurants, and what we were preparing for holiday meals.
Masks
It’s been a tough year with COVID but at the beginning of the pandemic Mary made each of us masks, all with a Texas theme, whether blue bonnets or the Texas flag.
The Yellow Rose of Texas
And speaking of Texas, Mary was our Yellow Rose of Texas. So in the words of the song:
Oh the Yellow Rose of Texas is the only girl I love
Her eyes are even bluer than Texas skies above
Her heart’s as big as Texas and wherever I may go
I’ll remember her forever because I love her so
—Beverley Green & Joanne Taylor